laser radial setup

[Rolfe'd]

My weak point in the laser is racing in light/medium wind, around 8-10 knots ish, and choppy.

I learned that sitting locked in, tailbone on the rail helps translate your body's momentum into flicking the leach with each wave but I have trouble setting up the rig to do so.

The radial has a fairly hooked leach, and so I have a difficult time getting the sail setup so that the mainsheet isnt tightening the leach (vang here) and Im still pointing well (mainsheet). Does the cunningham affect leach tension at all?

advice please.

 

[Cunningham]

1. more vang than you'd think. Sheet in block to block pull the vang on tighter than that. This bends the mast to the correct shape to fit your luff profile.

2. just snug the cunno take out most of that wrinkle.

3. dont worry about height. speed is the main factor for chop

4. play the sheet, if you hit a bad wave it has to go out, as you speed up sheet in.

Lastly have a tight strap so you are locked into the boat and can push the bow up or down depending on the chop.

 

[OILCOUNTRY]

I agree with all of the points stated by Cunningham exept for the fact that you need to be proactive with the sheeting. Learn how to effectivly drive the short waves, Look ahead of you for the larger waves, When you see one power up(Sheet out and bear off slightly) and drive right through the wave then work you self back up. Keep the boat flat as possible , Keep ur strap tight and lock in at the front of the cockpit, try to keep ur butt in and shoulders out( keep your core loaded up) And remember flicking the leach intentionally upwind is in violation of Rule 42.

 

[Cunningham]

The topic was about sail setup. lets not try to teach specific helming techniques on an internet forum when conditions will vary every single day you sail.

 

[OILCOUNTRY]

Funny I saw 8-10knots of wind with chop, this seems like a steady condition in most parts of the world. I simply expanded on a few of your statements about sheeting out. I figured it would be a bad thing for him to just be dumping the main sheet when he wanted to speed up. My bad.